


Dominoes

by Shirohime



Series: Demons all around us [2]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Emotional Regression, Gen, Obsessive compulsive tendencies, Past Abuse, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-23
Updated: 2017-11-23
Packaged: 2019-02-06 00:55:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12806076
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shirohime/pseuds/Shirohime
Summary: Family don't end with blood





	Dominoes

Usually, days went by in a blur. Charlie hated focusing on them individually, too much voices and people with intentions they not always made clear. 

Sometimes days were horrible. Triggering one memory after another and leaving the redhead shaking and hiding in the corner of her bed, unable to register her surroundings. 

It had taken her time to settle down. A long time to accept anyone close to her without being sedated. 

But she couldn't help it. People were just so... Angry and hostile, so incredibly frightening all the time. 

Dean had seemed just like the others. He would brag and be boisterous. Charlie didn't like that. 

But then the green-eyed man had sat down next to her during occupational therapy and whistled when he saw her drawing. 

He hadn't even asked what exactly it was supposed to be (Charlie didn't know either, so she was glad he didn't question it),just focused on not ruining the bracelet he was braiding.

It had made Charlie giggle when he kept making mistakes and the pout on his face grew larger. 

From that instance on she had relaxed around the taller man. 

She called for him and only him when she was overwhelmed by the shouting voice of her father. 

The nurses knew not to touch her because she'd be unable to recognize them as non threatening. 

But as soon as Dean would come in and pull her close the memories would slowly fade away. 

Yeah. Dean Winchester was a pretty good big brother. 

Sam Winchester was scary. He had hit her once already when she hadn't been fast enough to get away. 

But Dean kept insisting his brother was the kindest man on earth, just very confused and troubled. 

Charlie occasionally didn't find the lanky 6"4 man scary. 

She still made sure never to be alone with him, always with Dean there. 

It was hard for the redhead to keep track of time, even with the Star wars watch on her wrist that had been a gift from Castiel. 

Castiel wasn't scary. 

The black haired 20 year-old was timid at best,completely withdrawn on his worse days.

Something about him made Charlie want to care for him like she would with a puppy. 

When Cas had been admitted he had been on one-on-one watch, hooked onto more than one scary looking machine. 

Charlie had snuck into his room when he had been out with drugs. 

She had touched his hair (so soft!) because it shimmered so lovely in the morning sun. 

When a nurse had come and caught her sitting there and tried to get her to leave, Charlie had been trembling with fear. 

But she had felt an eery need to protect the unconscious young man and it had taken Dean to get her to understand that Cas was fine and the nurses wouldn't hurt him. 

Charlie didn't mind that Cas was as thin as a skeleton, bones protruding everywhere. Or that he would get crying fits in the silence of his room at night. 

She liked Cas because he was kind. He would share his cookies with her (and Charlie didn't get why he shouldn't, according to the nurses. But she didn't like being scolded so she never accepted his offer). 

She liked Cas because he was nice to Dean and taught Charlie little magic tricks with the old cards laying around. 

And somewhere along the road, Cas had become her second favorite brother. 

Dean was all strength and protectiveness where Cas was soft and reassuring, understanding of how she felt. 

On bad days they'd both lay down on the couch with her and hold her until her screams eased away. 

Castiel was horrible at telling stories, but he did silly things with his fingers, like forming shadows on the walls into bunnies and swans. 

Dean was a great storyteller. But horrible at making her smile. His jokes were horribly dry and it only ever made Charlie cringe. 

Charlie was glad she was there. 

With Cas and Dean, even Sam and the rest of their bunch. 

They were her home now. Gentle touches on her hands and shoulders, hugs when she wanted them. 

None of the shouting, muscle tearing grips of her father. No broken bones and being dunked into a filled bathtub because he thought she'd be a witch. 

Here, nobody burned all her clothes and books because 'a witch doesn't deserve life'. 

Here, nobody hurt her because she was Charlie. 

Charlie smiled because she wanted to, not because her dad threatened to burn her with the iron again if she didn't pretend in front of the orderlies. 

Charlie was slowly healing, because this was her home now. 

A real home. With a sometimes annoying big brother and an even sillier biggest brother. 

A home with food each day, no harsh words towards her. 

She could deal with this. 

For the first time ever, this was okay. 

It wasn't perfect; Sam would snap sometimes and leave her drowning in memories, Castiel would be taken away to get another of those painful looking tubes down his throat,Dean would cut so deep that he had to be taken into the icu again. 

But Charlie loved her family unconditionally. 

She wanted a chance. 

 A chance to live the life she always wanted to have. 

 


End file.
